Melanie Riley
Whether or not you believe in love at first sight, it’s hard to deny that love can find you at any age after hearing Greg Carter and Denise Crispin’s story.
Greg Carter, 74-years-young from Portland and Denise Crispin, 68-years-young from Mount Gambier/Berrin were both looking to share their lives with someone special.
Through their love of dancing, they found each other, and now, four months later, their love is still very much blossoming.
Greg had been told that a local dancing club in Portland might be a good place to search for a new love, and began attending the club.
Ms Crispin had also attended the club, but happened to visit on a night Mr Carter wasn’t there.
After both putting ads in local newspapers and friends at the dancing club being aware of both of their searches, Ms Crispin was soon told about Mr Carter.
Ms Crispin contacted the Portland Observer and found Mr Carter’s details, and from their first phone call, they hit it off.
“From just the first conversation on the phone we just connected so beautifully,” Mr Carter said.
“We met about a week later and that certainly consolidated the feelings we had on the phone.”
The pair met in Nelson, Victoria for the first time and Mr Carter said they knew it was right straight away.
“When you get to this age, you sort of get to the point where you know what’s right and what’s not right, whatever it may be,” Mr Carter said.
“All I knew was that we were just so perfectly suited when we met, and it’s just incredible.”
Mr Carter said with any kind of relationship, love is the “bottom line,” but said one of the most important things in a relationship was to continue showing love for each other.
“You have to show that love as the relationship goes on, not just do it initially,” he said.
“I think what happens is that people do some really nice things initially in a relationship, and as it goes along, giving flowers or doing other bits and pieces falls by the wayside.
“That’s not the case for me, I’ve always been a romantic.”
Mr Carter said the gestures don’t have to be big, but the thought behind them is what is important.
“It’s just me saying ‘I love you darling’ and that’s all there is about it, whether it’s a note on her pillow, or a note on the seat of the car, or a red rose somewhere,” he said.
“People don’t continue to show their love for each other as relationships develop over time, and it saddens me to see.
“It’s too easy to take for granted.”
After having some bad experiences in past relationships, Ms Crispin was cautious and looking for a special kind of love.
“I really needed to find someone that loved and respected me, and I’ve found that in Greg,” she said.
She said she believed the foundation of their relationship was “caring, being honest and showing our love for each other.”
Mr Carter said the pair believed there are two other important qualities a relationship needs to have from the beginning.
“Trust and respect, they would be the two factors that both of us believe are the criteria,” he said.
The pair agreed they are extremely compatible, with their love of helping others bonding them immediately.
Mr Carter is a Vietnam veteran and has spent the last 20 years focusing on welfare work with veterans, and Ms Crispin has also engaged in volunteer work for several years.
“We openly give our hearts to helping other people without necessarily expecting anything in return,” Mr Carter said.
“We are both exactly on the same page with that, and that’s just one of the things that I love about her.”
Mr Carter said it was hard to narrow the thing he loves most about Ms Crispin.
“There are dozens of things, but the thing I particularly love most of all is her smile,” he said.
“It is just so warm, and so open, and so giving and as soon as I see it and her eyes light up, I’m travelling in a different space.”
Ms Crispin was much the same, and could not narrow down just one thing she loved about Mr Carter.
“Before I met Greg, I asked the universe for a lovely man that would take care of me and love me and respect me,” she said.
“He is kind, he is generous, he ticks all of the boxes.”
Their first Valentine’s Day plans included a surprise lunch planned by Mr Carter, set up in Port MacDonnell, some champagne and a movie to finish off the night.
He already has something special planned for Valentine’s Day next year, but wanted to keep it a surprise.
The lovebirds have both always wanted to live by the sea, and plan to soon move to Mr Carter’s seaside property in Portland.
